Why we started.

Often, when we think of cancer research, we imagine scientists in labs running experiments on mice. But at its core, cancer research is about one thing: reducing the suffering experienced by millions of families around the world.

My story begins in August 2021, when my family received a call from my grandfather informing us that he had been diagnosed with Stage IV prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. At the time, I was only 12 and knew very little about cancer. I assumed everything would be fine — that he would receive treatment and recover.

As the years passed and I began to understand the disease slowly taking his life, I realized there would be no cure for him. Instead, I learned to appreciate the time I had left. Every time a new clinical trial opened for his specific cancer, our family hoped it would be the breakthrough that could save his life.

When I entered high school, one of my biggest goals was to inspire other students to pursue oncology and cancer research. Through the SLHS Cancer Research Society, I hope to give students the chance to develop the skills used by researchers in the real world — cold-emailing mentors, reading published literature, analyzing public datasets, and conducting independent research.

Our motto, "Inspiring the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers," was inspired by our attendance at the AACR Annual Meeting in 2026. There, we witnessed the human side of research: the patients, families, physicians, and scientists whose lives are connected through the fight against cancer.